Draft-gear.



, J. RUOURIV.`

murfr (ma. LPILXOATIOH FILED JAR. 9, 1.912.

,O3-1 ,424. Patented July 2, 1912.

I 7/ ein* \37 J. F. GOUBSON. i DRAFT GEAR. Anmonxon ymm) un. 9. 1912.

' zanzara-snuff 2.

vPatented July 2, 1912.

`end against the abutment .4', as in `1".`

gli? v will w" aai;

Witwe/@Mdm B ilQ'WnflhtLlfJQHN COURSQN, .21 citizen of the nitedmStates, 1resi/ding:l atV Pitetn, the. 'QOH-'nti l. 0f Allegheny and State "of, yPen' nhsylvania5l 4have invented cer,.A tainnevvand useful'lIIznpi-ovelnents ,in Draft- Gea'rs," of lv vhichthedfoHoving is a" specifica-i tion. 'l i .My'fginventionrelates: to ythe .class of draft gearfn'g' kfor` railway` cars and 'it f ha's'. for its 4object; yto provide l Ia. draft l gear f of, y,simple construction andi high ,efficiency-las. to resistfayrice to the shocks.l of(buiingandl pulling.

The particularobjc't in. View is'to provide a4 construction in -ivhichf'asseinbled friction A"shoesQand Wedgingineans fare; Iso `arranged y WithinJ an,` inlosin'gcasi ng,. with aspring, as to developahigh .frictional resistance While providing', feria p ompit,n Certain ,and free release action,..wit other ,featnresof advantage; as,;shall1]ofe. more viililly hereinafter4 lesc'lribedglyl t y 'Preferred arrangementsy of `the invention: arefsliovvnl in 5 the laccompanying drawings; inwlfiiqihrA t 1 Figure lis aflongitudinal horizontal sec-h tional ,t .viewf through a draft gear ymade ac-l cordingto my invention, innorm'al position. Fig.y 2 isi aSimilarviewshoWing the gear 30in'themposition "fassum'ed under pulling stra-inst-y "=Fig.3 isfa vertical cross sectionfony Vthe linenIIIzIIfIof Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a per-rl spective detail-.view ofY `one of thelfriction shoes. 'Si Fig. 'fisva similar vieW offene' of the endmost. wedges. Fig. V''is a similar view of the other endmost Wedge. Fig. 7 is asimilar View' of'one 'offthe intervening expandingy Wedges, and'FiB is' a' similar vie'vv of?` the centralwedge 1'ock.'Fig. is f 401 a longitudinal vvertical section on the 4llne IX. IX.`of Fig. 1. Fig. 101is a cross seci `tioiif-'on'tl'ieline Xi'X. of Fig. 1. f' "-V' "C Referringto the drawnige;"theseA sh'ow a'ny arrangement of fthe invention injwhich a 451 Single gear is applied to thel framing of steelfcar'lhaving the nsal centerI 's1lls2, y2; a pair ofdlaterally arran cd1-brackets 81,! 3,; secured to the sillsQ'by rivets' 'lor otherwise;A ,i and; a reai'abntment 4 for the geajrlfcase1 sintu-A 50, la1lysecured.v y'1 he" rear 'caset 5-, whichniay v be of, any suitable or preferredfpcnstrlictionf, is generally' cylindrical t in teringl 'I adapted to contain improved'- rwtIQnI-jhreatmg' 1nechfanisln,` and normally abnts `by itstrear.

N, Zimmereien.

ein: eounsom ion'rmcAinrttaPiJNNsrL infr-M l g means 'cfa plurality;preferablytnioifof i o :tamil illustratecL-I `have shownia plu'aility-,iplfeiiv erablyi four, `of segmental. :frictiongsl'ioess 16 having outer faces c onformngto the' cnlzvature ofy the inner surface ,ofxthefcylinder v, i which, may l,loe of iuniform diameter -on mtas pered as, preferred, and' inner inclined-Wedge ingfrictionalengagementmtitlv the cylinder;

"against the 'rear of'a transverse follow'eQflo preferably having a lipped engagement therewith, as indicated at 2l. spring 2:2 mounted within the casing 5. bearing b v its rearend against the inner end of the casing 5 and at front, against the inner ends'of'friction shoes G. A plurality of springs may vbe employed if desired. The casing 5 -in the construction shown, is annularly flanged at its front end asI indicated at 23 for thepurpose of providing for connection with the draw bar' 2l. Said drawbar, which may be of any desired con`- struction'as to its coupler head, is 'enlarged at the rear end providing substantial shoulders or abutments at top and bottom, as clearly shown in Fig. 9. For the purpose of connecting the drawbar with the casing, I use a `mvo-part coupling box cnsisting of interfittingtop'and bottom box members. Eaclrof said ymembers is rectangular in form, havinglongitudinal sides 28 and 29 respectively, interfitting with each otherand overlapping at reach side `of 'a middle clearance space, through which ,extends the shankof the -drawbar .-24. yThe rear end of'each is rounded in semi-circular formation, for engagement with theannular shoulder k23 of the casing.. .Each side wall .28 and 29of 'each of said members 26v and 2T iis longitudinally slotted-,yas indicated at 31, lVhen said members are assembled'inlengagement with theinner head of the drawbar,- said slots are 1n registering posit1on,'and pro-- vide transverse clearance for the follower' 20, `which extends outwardly7 atycach side through similar slots 32 in the websof the 4center sills- 2. lThe outer boX member embraces the yupper semi-cylindrical;portion of the casing (3 and v,annularly recessed inner Aembrace the upper, and lower cylindrical 'flange abutment 23, and engage and completely surround itl; the box members -extendinwardly behind the annular shoulder 23 so that when the box `members are assembled,v they will be held in embracing position by the transverse follower 20. Said follower is provided with retaining keys or pins 35 at each end, preventing longitudinal movement or displace'- ment. At the front ends the box members are provided with inwardly extending lips or flanges, adapted when assembled, to en.- gage the shoulders 25 ofthe drawbar, and at the rear ends with inwardly turned lips 37 which surround and embrace the annular shoulder 23 of casing 5.

In addition lto the holding action ofthe 'follower `20,"I also provide a bottom plate .connected to the center sill members 2, and embracingV the box members at top and-bottom.-v By thismeansthesupporting of the end portion'sof each of Said box members The rear, portions of- 20a and a top plate 20", extending across and- By this construction and arrangement the casing and drawbar are connected but are capable .of relative `longitudinal movement toward each otherdue to the slots 3l being considerably longer than the widthiof. the follower()` 'and the follower also has the same degree of movement throughl saidfslots and slotsl in the operation of butng. On the other hand the assembled coupling boxes 26 and 27, 'with the casing 5, have the same extent of forward movement with rela` tion' to 'the relatively stationaryfollower 20 in the operation of pulling.-

The operationis as follows: lnpulling th casing-5 is `drawn forward 'against the een# S0 t-ralf wedge 18 and follower 20 bearings -against the brackets '3 of t'hef'center sills@ as in Fig, 2. In buing, casing 5 bears back-' wardlyf againstfabutment V4 of the "center` sills and clrawba1'24, exerts backward pres- 85f sure through follower' 20 against c,`e1t1al4 wedge 18, t-hrustingit inwardlybf the 'rela-` ytivelyff statio'nari7 *casing- 5. lith either movement 'the 1 central wedge l`block 1 8 "and casing 5" are brought'l together- 'v Due to re- 90 sistance of -spring22 especiallyuvhen com-' pressed, and friction shoes 6, the action of acute ywedge faces y17` on acute wedge faces" 16 ofexpanding wedges `11 'separates v`these wedges laterally in opposite "directions, their relatively blunt faces 12 and 13Xthen acting as acute wedges, in lateral movement, .againstthe contacting faces 14 and 15 of endmost wedgesLS and 9; This.' results-in tions,forwarclly and backwardly, ofthe single endmost wedgesl 8 'and\9.` "Thereupon,

acute angleA faces 1 0 of the endmost wedges, acting on similar facesf of.' the shoes '6, thrust themoutwardlywithfgreatbinding or frictionalforce, .against-,the finne'r faces of'- the casing 5, the degree v2o f' frictiona'l re- -1 sistance being'in proportionfto the "sho'ck. Upon. release -of pressure' wedge block-18- will'recede, duey to the resisting pressure of` 110l faces 16 on faces 1 7 expanding Wedge blocksl1 will collapse, and endmost wedge blocks 8 and' 9 will recede toward each otherre leasingftheir hold'on friction shoes 7a'n'deffecting loosening of the friction shoes from' 1151 the'casing. i l v It will be understood that the .degree of 4 taper,'in operative directions, of the several co-acting wedge faces, vwhile sufficient-ly acute to effect a highdegree ofexpandingmo action of the Wedgcs'and resulting frctional .contact of the'shoes with thel casing, is not so acute as tofprevent separationof the sev# l eral parts upon relaxation ofthe pressure.

The ultimate-frictional resistance is duefto 41125 the combined effect-ofthe gio-acting Sets faces, to wit, faces `1-'-16, 12.- -14 1345-15...

and 10-7, all. preferably of `substantielly'1l the samede'greeof workingtaper with rela-my of'egsingle pair or set of very acute Wedge faces or'the releasing effectof unduly blunt v Wedgefaces which if necessarily present for release, have no especial. eliciency in wedge action. 0n the contrary all of the several Wedge faces co-act cumulatively to produce the combined separating result, effectingtogether a total'frictional resistance between the shoesl and casing to a very high degree.

It will be understood that the gear may be changed or modified by the skilled mechanic in various features or details, but all suoli are to be considered as within the scope of the following claims.

TWhat I claim is:

l. In a friction. draft gear, the combina* tion witlrthe easing and a relatively movable dra'wbar, of friction shoes engaging the casing, a bufiing block adapted to transmit ydrawbar strains, longitudinally separated wedge blocks engaging the friction shoes, and. Wedge blocks interposed between said wedge blocks and the bulting block, substantially as set forth.

2. In a friction draft gear, the combinationV with the casing and a relatively movable drawbar, of friction shoes engaging the casing having inner inclined faces, longitudinally 'separatedl Wedge blocks engaging 4the friction shoes having outer and inner inclined faces,- a bufling block adapt-ed to transmit drawbar strains having outer inclined faces of dierent 'angle from the inner inclined faces of said wedge blocks, and wedge blocks interposed between' said longitudinally separated wedge blocks and the buflingblock, substantially as set forth.

8. In a friction draft gearfthe combina. tion with the casing, of friction slices, a bult'- ing block, longitudinally separated Wedge blocks engaging the friction shoes having inner inclined faces, and wedge blocks interposed between said Wedge blocks and .the bufling block having inner faces engaging the faces of the buiiing block and outer faces of steeper inclination engaging the inner `faces of the longitudinally separated fric- 'y tion-bloclt-engaging Wedge blocks, substantially as set forth.

e. In a friction draft ear, `the combination with the casing, of 4frlction shoes, a buf- 4ting block, longitudinally separated wedge blocks having outer faces engaging the faces of the friction shoes and inner faces of steepeiinclination, and wedge blocks having inner ,faces'engagin the faces of the bufling block and outer faces disposed at a more obtuse angle to the longitudinal center of the baiting block' and engaging the inner faces ofthe longitudinally separated frction-block-engaging Wedge blocks, substantially as set forth. v

5. Iii-a friction draft gear, the combination with the drawbar, casing, spring, and friction members, of a compound wedge comprising a central wedge member, endmost'wedge members engaging the friction members, and collapsible wedge members engaging the central wedge member and said end-most wedge me1nbers.` 6. In a friction draft gear, the combinaU tion with the drawbar, casing, spring and friction members having innerv inclined wedge faces at each end, of a central Wedge, oppositely acting wedges engagmg said 1nclined faces of the friction members, and a plurality of collapsible wedges engaging said wedges and the central wedge.y

7. In a friction draft gear, the combination with a casing, spring, and friction shoes having inner endmost opposing' inclined faces, of endmost expanding Wedges engaging\ said faces, intervening' separating wedges, `and a central wedge engaging the separating wedges and oierable t o ress them apart laterally and e ect longltu mal separation of the endlnost- Wedges, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in thc presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. COURSON.

lVitnesses C. M. CLARKE, EDWIN TRUEB. 

